In May this year, the Minnesota Opera concluded its 2015-16 season with the world premiere of The Shining, a new opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell. The show, which garnered positive reviews from critics, was an authorized adaptation of Stephen King's 1977 best-selling novel about a family haunted by paranormal activity in a remote hotel. The novel was also adapted as a popular film starring Jack Nicholson.
The Shining debuted at Music Theater at the Ordway in St. Paul, MN, May 7 and ran through May 15. The complete opera, as well as a scene-by-scene guide, is now available to listen to via Classical MPR until November 30 only. It runs for one hour and 51 minutes.
The Shining, according to earlier press notes, is “a gripping thriller about the struggles of Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy and their son Danny, to survive the isolation of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado where Jack has been engaged as winter caretaker. The family endeavors to remain together in spite of their growing isolation from the world, the hotel’s paranormal activity and Jack’s abusive nature, alcoholism and growing madness.”
The cast included Brian Mulligan as Jack Torrance, Kelly Kaduce as Wendy Torrance, Alejandro Vega as Danny Torrance, Arthur Woodley as Dick Hallorann, Mark Walters as Mark Torrance, Alex Ritchie as Horace Derwent, John Robert Lindsey as Lloyd the Bartender, David Walton as Delbert Grady, Robb Asklof as Stuart Ullman, Rick Penning as Bill Watson, Shannon Prickett as Mrs. Massey, and Jeni Houser as Mrs. Grady.
Rounding out the cast were Cassie Klinga, Zoey Paulson, Joel Mathias, Alegandro Magallón, Benjamin Sieverding, Ben Crickenberger, Ben Johnson, and Lu Zang.
The creative team also included Michael Christie (conductor), Eric Simonson (stage director), Heidi Spesard-Noble (choreographer), Erhard Rom (scenery and properties design), 59 Productions (animation and projection design), Kärin Kopischke (costume design), Robert Wierzel (lighting design), C. Andrew Mayer (sound design), and David Zimmerman (wig and makeup design).
